


Live Fast, Die Old

by yours_truly



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Female Friendship, Female-Centric, Gen, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-30
Updated: 2012-11-30
Packaged: 2017-11-19 23:04:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/578597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yours_truly/pseuds/yours_truly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Personally,” said Asami, “I think there’s a lot more to being the Avatar. And I’d like think there’s a lot more to you.” </p>
            </blockquote>





	Live Fast, Die Old

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Esmenet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esmenet/gifts).



> Written for the [2012 Avatar Ladyfest](http://avatar-ladyfest.dreamwidth.org/). The original prompt was "Korra and Asami go on a road trip!"

Everyone felt elated in the aftermath of Korra’s restoration of Lin’s bending. The group made its way back to the White Lotus compound as a loose unit, everyone flitting from cluster to cluster in order to trade grins and complain about the cold and remark on the beauty of the sunset. No matter the words, the subtext was always the same: _Everything is good again now._

 When the front gate finally loomed in sight, Korra and Asami found themselves straggling at the rear of the pack. Korra kept slowing down to aim at far-off snow banks and use her restored bending to make them explode into white puffs that drifted away in the night-time wind. Asami adjusted her pace so that the two of them could talk. 

 “I’m really happy you’ve got your bending back, Korra. And you did a great thing for Chief Bei Fong.” 

 “Thanks, Asami. You know, yesterday at this time I thought the world was over. I felt like the biggest failure ever, and now things are back to normal.” 

 Korra’s happiness was infectious, and Asami giggled. “We were all worried for you,” she said, “but I hope you know that you would have had our support.” 

 The wind was really picking up, and Asami made a move to pull up her hood before she realized that she didn’t have one. Korra pulled a pair of gloves out of her pocket and put them on as she said, “That’s great of you guys and all, but we all know there would’ve been any point. Bending all four elements is the whole point of the Avatar. I was an empty shell when I couldn’t bend. Useless.” 

 “We’re not useless.” Korra had to look behind her because Asami had stopped walking. She hugged herself against the chill and tilted her head to the left. “Non-benders, we’re not... Not being able to bend doesn’t make us useless.” 

 Korra’s arms were a flurry as she tried to wave away her words. “Noooo, that’s not what I meant! It’s not the same! You’ve never been able to bend, but I’m the _Avatar_ , it’s what I’m here for. If I can’t bend all four elements, then I’m nothing.” 

 All of the others were now beyond the open gates of the compound, and Tenzin looked like he was about to run back out to hurry the girls along. Asami started walking again, but she kept her head down as she passed Korra, staring at the tracks in the snow. “Personally, I think there’s a lot more to being the Avatar. And I’d like think there’s a lot more to you.” 

 Korra watched her walk away and wondered where her earlier feeling of elation had gone.

  

 

  Within a few days, everyone had moved back to Republic City and Korra was re-installed on Air Temple Island with Tenzin and his family. But as winter turned to spring and spring turned to summer, Tenzin continued to watch Korra struggle with focusing on her training. The lures of pro-bending and exploring the city meant that the White Lotus guards frequently had to tell Tenzin that they simply didn’t know where she’d gone. Meditation was skipped, and City Council meetings were napped through. 

 One night after Korra had skipped out on another practice session, Tenzin lay in bed with Pema, staring at the ceiling and trying to verbalize his frustration. “I know there are a lot of different ways to be the Avatar, and I don’t want to fundamentally change who she is, but she’s just so frivolous about things,” he said. 

 Pema couldn’t help but tease. “Everyone seems frivolous compared to you, dear.” 

 “I’m worried about her, Pema. Ever since she got her bending back, she’s been using it frequently but pointlessly. She needs more focus.” 

 Pema leaned up on one elbow to get a good look at her husband. “Is there a way to turn the distractions into the lessons? I doubt she’s ever going to be studious, so maybe you need to be… unconventional. Sneaky.” 

 Tenzin _hmm_ -ed and rolled over to let his wife snuggle against his back. “She needs a good influence in her life, someone her age who is stable and mature and hard-working…”

 

  

  “I still don’t entirely understand how this happened,” Korra said. 

 She was standing at the side of the road outside the eastern edge of Republic City and watching White Lotus guards transfer packs of supplies into bags on Naga’s saddle. They were also tying boxes onto the back of an open, rugged four-wheeled vehicle as Asami adjusted something with the engine. 

 “Future Industries gets a lot of raw materials from a mine located outside of Ba Sing Se, and the University recently developed an technology department that consults with a university from the Fire Nation,” said Asami. “Tenzin and the Council have been helping me get certain papers and passports so I can visit the mines and see if there’s any way I can build a relationship with the University to benefit Republic City’s factories and industry.” 

 “And, what, Tenzin wants me to be your bodyguard?” 

 Asami shot Korra an annoyed look. “Hardly.” She closed the hood, grabbed Korra’s arm, and led them a short distance away from the group. 

 “Korra, I know we haven’t seen much of eachother since last winter. Running Future Industries takes everything I have, and you’re so busy with your training. But I’m a very young woman running a very large business, and getting people to take me seriously isn’t easy. Tenzin suggested that having the Avatar with me on this trip will help. I hope that you’re willing to support me.” 

 Korra’s mouth hung slightly open at Asami’s admission, but she quickly schooled her features and gave a slight bow. “I’m honored that you invited me, Asami. I promise that at the very least, no one in Ba Sing Se will be able to ignore you.” 

 Asami smiled and threw her arms around Korra’s shoulders in a tight hug. Korra returned the embrace, and as they came apart Tenzin walked over to the pair.  

 “Everything seems to be ready. I still think it would have been more reasonable to take an airship, but the journey should only last a few days,” he said. 

 “We’ll be fine, Tenzin,” said Korra. “Naga hasn’t had a chance to run in a long time. This’ll be good for both of us.” 

 “And I hate being a passenger. Why let someone else drive when I can be behind the wheel?” said Asami as she pulled down her goggles. 

 Tenzin smiled and put one hand on the shoulder of each girl. “Go well, you two.” 

 

  

  It took five days, to be precise, before Korra and Asami arrived at the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. They were both covered in dust from the road and sweating from the constant heat of the sun. Neither girl was particularly used to the rigors of summer in the heart of the Earth Kingdom, especially without the fresh breeze from the sea off Yue Bay. 

 Since the University was located in the center of the city and the mine was located beyond the Outer Wall to the south, Asami compromised and chose to stay at an inn in the Middle Ring that provided roughly equivalent travel times to the two destinations. The elevated monorail covered the large distance between the Inner and Outer walls very efficiently, but the congested streets meant a long journey to the much closer University. 

 Once settled, their days were immediately filled with tours and meetings and formal tea ceremonies. Korra couldn’t believe how packed their schedules were, and she asked Asami, “Who organized all this? Why do you seem to know so many people already?” 

 “I set up most of the meetings over the ‘phone. Tenzin and the Council got me the names of people I should meet, but some people I’m familiar with because I came here with my dad a few times when I was little…” Her voice trailed off, and Korra let the subject drop. 

 By dinner the next evening, though, Korra had reached her limit. Asami consistently charmed everyone they met, bowing at the right times and displaying her knowledge of the latest technological developments, but Korra had developed a headache from trying to follow the complex discussions and remember the titles of the various Earth Kingdom officials. She gracefully but forcefully excused herself as soon as she could after the meal was over. 

 When Asami got back to their room at the inn, she found Korra lying face-down on her bed. “Korra, are you okay?” she asked. 

 Korra groaned and rolled over to her back to show that she was alive and willing to talk. Asami sat on her own bed and began removing her jewellery and unpinning her hair. “Is something wrong?”

  “Oh nothing much. Just that I am really, _really_ bad at this.”  
   
 “At what?” 

 “Everything you’re good at! Talking to people, knowing how close to stand to them, knowing their history, learning the streets of Ba Sing Se… I thought that being an earthbender meant I would fit in fine here, but there is so much more to the Earth Kingdom than that.” 

 Asami nodded slowly. “And we’re only in one small part of the Earth Kingdom.” 

 “Exactly!” Korra grabbed the pillow from behind her head, stuffed it over her face, and shrieked in frustration. “The Avatar is an idiot.” 

 Asami switched so that she was sitting on Korra’s bed next to her hip and pulled the pillow off her friend’s face. “You’re not an idiot. And you don’t need to learn everything all at once, but I think the fact that you realize you have a lot to learn shows what a wise Avatar you are.” 

 Korra stared at the ceiling and refused to catch Asami’s eye. “I wish I could help you more.” 

 Asami took Korra’s hand and gave it a squeeze. 

“I’m glad you’re here.”

  

 

On the final day of their trip before they were due to head back to Republic City, Asami and Korra were led by a foreman named Hamza to the base of the mine pit. There was so much crunching and thundering from the massive amounts of moving earth that everyone had to shout to be heard. 

 “We’ve mechanized a bit, but earthbenders are still far superior at predicting where the richest veins are going to be and extracting everything efficiently!” Hamza yelled. “We even have a few miners who can metalbend, so they start the purification process down here before we even cart it to the smelting factory!” 

 “It’s all so intricate and powerful!” Asami gushed. “How do you ensure--” 

 But the rest of Asami’s question was drowned out by a powerful roar and the wail of an emergency siren. Korra, Hamza, and Asami whipped around to see the near wall of the mine crumbling. The rock scaffolding was shaking, and here and there chunks were beginning to fall. Miners were running from the closest shaft entrance, many of them yelling. 

 The floor of the scaffolding that Korra, Hamza, and Asami were on began to buckle as well, and without warning the three of them were falling through the air. 

 Asami reached out to clutch at Korra, but she pulled her arms back as her friend’s eyes erupted into a blue light that hurt to look at; her face took on a fierce expression of determination. 

Asami’s world was spinning, sky and ground switching places with dizzying speed, so she screwed up her own eyes and was only dimly aware when she felt herself tumble to the ground far more gently than gravity would have demanded. She instinctively drew her legs to her chest and covered her head with her arms as debris landed on and around her. 

 “MINERS, LISTEN. RUN TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE PIT AND STAY DOWN.” 

 The voice was terrible and multi-faceted, layered over and over itself, the kind of sound that commands attention and obedience. Asami opened her eyes only to have them stung by a strong wind. She saw Korra hovering fifty feet in the air with her hair loose and flowing, that blue glow still emanating strongly. 

 Another section of the mine wall collapsed about a hundred yards away from Asami, and Korra threw her arms out to the sides before spinning her hands around themselves and shooting them in the direction of the falling miners. Cushions of air protected them as they made hard, but not fatal, landings. Korra then shot towards the ground, landed on one knee, and slammed her two hands into the rock. A rumble shook the earth that seemed to counter and control the grinding that had been shaking the ground up to that point. Korra leapt into a horse stance, bent knees solid and stable, and raised her arms above her head. The rumbling continued for another moment, but it slowly died down until the world was enveloped in an unnatural quiet broken only by the tinkle of pebbles that were still rolling down a slope. 

 Korra’s eyes faded to their usual color, which was still a startling but less luminescent blue, and she slowly stood up out of her crouch. She reached her hand out to Asami and helped her to stand up from the rubble. Asami’s gaze was still glued to Korra, and she would have gone on staring if Hamza hadn’t coughed to her left and loudly brushed off his clothes. Before he could speak, Korra said, “Everything’s stable now. We should see if anyone’s badly hurt.” 

 Hamza ran a hand through his hair, and his voice was dry and cracked when he spoke. “Thank you, Avatar Korra."

 

  

The accident at the mine obviously delayed their departure, but Korra and Asami still managed to leave Ba Sing Se by nightfall and travel for several hours before making camp for the night. Cooking supper was a somewhat tense affair, as Asami was trying not to let Korra notice her frequent glances and Korra was trying to pretend she didn’t feel them. While Korra was leaning against Naga and devouring her stew, Asami finally blurted out what she’d been holding in for hours. 

 “You’re not human.” 

 Korra paused with her bowl halfway to her mouth and tilted her head to the right. “What?” 

 Asami tucked her hair behind her ears as she tried to explain. “What I mean is, today at the mine, you... I have never seen you do that kind of thing before. Even your voice was different, it was so powerful, and no person can do what you did... It was all so scary.” 

 Korra put her bowl down and crossed her arms over her chest. “There’s no reason for you to be scared of me. What I did was good, if I hadn't then who knows how--” 

 “Please stop, Korra, I’m sorry! I’m saying this wrong.” Korra’s posture loosened and she looked away into the trees as she absentmindedly patted Naga. Asami continued, “What I meant was, I think today was the first time I really appreciated that you’re not _just_ human. There’s always a part of the Avatar that’s a spirit, ancient and wild, and your bending is a big part of that.” Korra finally looked back at Asami. “I guess I never understood that connection before, and I didn't get how important it is. As scary as today was, I’m glad I got to see that.” 

 Asami smiled shyly, and Korra smiled back. “Who are you calling ancient? You’re ten months older than me.” 

 

  

  Tenzin was meditating in the gazebo overlooking the sea when Korra arrived home. She quietly kneeled before him and bowed until her forehead was touching the ground. When she raised herself up and folded her hands in her lap, Tenzin raised one eyebrow in surprise at her uncharacteristically subdued greeting, but far be it from him to break the peaceful rapport between them. 

 “Sifu Tenzin, it’s good to see you again.” 

 “Welcome home, Avatar Korra,” he said. “How was your trip to Ba Sing Se with Miss Sato?” 

 “It was… instructive.” 

 Tenzin desperately wanted to smile, but he dared not make her feel self-conscious. “I’m glad to hear it.” 

 “Tenzin, you’re an Air Nomad.” 

 At least the non sequitur was more typical of talking to Korra, with her meandering focus and her tendency to say exactly what she felt, so he allowed himself a contemplative smile. “Yes, yes I am. Of a sort, anyway.” 

 Korra took a deep breath. “I think I want to be a little nomadic for a while. Growing up at the South Pole and knowing that Master Katara’s family lived here, Republic City was all I ever really dreamed of. But traveling with Asami has shown me that there is so much to see of the other parts of the world.” The words came faster as she gathered confidence. “Would it be all right if I went with her on a trip to the Fire Nation next month? And would you be willing to take me to the other Air Temples? Could the Order of the White Lotus take my parents and me to the Northern Water Tribe to visit my cousins? Can--” 

 Tenzin held up a hand to quell her speech and laughed out loud. He lunged forward, embraced her, and she joined in his high spirits so that they both laughed with delight at thought of the coming adventures.


End file.
